A Family Affair
The Budgam by-election on November 11, 2025, is less about democracy and more about dynasty. Four members of the powerful Agha family, all heavyweight Shia clerics commanding loyalty from the area’s 20–25 percent Shia voters—around 25,000 to 31,000 registered out of a total of 1,25,266—are slugging it out for one Assembly seat. Instead of policy debates, voters are watching a family feud played out through political parties.
The National Conference (NC) has fielded Agha Syed Mehmood. The PDP has chosen Agha Syed Muntazir Mehdi, who secured 17,445 votes in 2024. The BJP has backed Agha Syed Mohsin, while another Agha, Syed Mohsin Mustafa, is contesting as an independent. This unusual family showdown began after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s 2024 win in Budgam with 36,010 votes against Muntazir’s 17,445. When Omar vacated the seat for Ganderbal, the political drama began.
Budgam, with more than 7 lakh residents, has a strong Shia presence. The Agha family, descendants of the late Agha Syed Yusuf al-Mosavi, has ruled both the religious and political space of the region for decades through mosques, madrasas, and the Anjuman-e-Sharie Shiayan. Their grip over Shia votes has turned democracy into a family enterprise.
The NC, PDP, and BJP have only strengthened this system by relying on the same family names instead of promoting grassroots leadership. No party holds internal elections or allows its workers to shape decisions. The people’s voice is replaced by clerical authority and inherited power.
After the abrogation of Article 370, there was hope for a new political culture in Jammu and Kashmir. But Budgam’s by-election tells a different story. It shows how dynasties still dominate and how religion remains a political tool.
For democracy to mean anything, political parties must break this chain. They must open their ranks to new leaders, hold internal elections, and base politics on merit, not family names. Until that happens, Budgam will remain a stage for family rivalry, not people’s choice.
